Maricopa County’s homeless population continues to grow and shelter beds across the county are disappearing amid funding cuts. Those are findings from the latest Point-In-Time homelessness count.
The Point-In-Time count is a one-day survey of homeless individuals conducted each year in January across the country. It is required for municipalities that receive funding for homelessness programs through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Newly released data shows 9,734 homeless people were counted on the streets and in shelters across Maricopa County during the 2025 survey. That is about a 3% increase in the overall homeless population since last year. But the number of people living on the street in this year’s survey spiked 28% as the number of people in shelters fell.
Maricopa Association of Governments regional homelessness program manager Brian Gruters said pandemic-era federal funding had boosted shelter capacity over the last few years. Gruters said that had led to a promising trend – unsheltered homelessness decreased from 2022 to 2024.
“We know we can do the job. We’ve been doing the job, it’s just that you have to have the resources to do it well,” Gruters told the MAG Regional Council on Wednesday. But, he added, “this year that reversed.”
Gruters said American Rescue Plan Act funding and other federal funding sources expired for more than 1,000 shelter beds across the county over the last year.
As resources dwindle, Gruters said high housing costs and a record number of evictions are leading to more people to fall into homelessness.
“People entering the homeless system means more people who are trying to get out of it who are scrambling for rental units. It puts upward pressure on all of the available housing," Gruters said.
Gruters said metro Phoenix is not alone – homelessness has risen to a record-high nationwide. He said proposed federal cuts to housing and social services programs could exacerbate the issue.
-
City officials said that they will need to make up $22 million after the American Rescue Plan funds for homeless services expire. Since they are temporary, the city needs to replace the gap to maintain current service levels. -
The Trump administration is considering changes to federal funding for homeless services. Arizona advocates are concerned thousands of formerly homeless people could lose shelter as a result. -
The city of Tempe will be reworking the most recent version of a special events ordinance that critics say unfairly targets unhoused people and the groups that serve them. -
Tucson announced it was partnering with local nonprofits in August to launch STAR Village — a one-year pilot program to provide a safe outdoor space for women and nonbinary people. -
Earlier this year, the Haven, one of the only temporary shelters for unhoused senior citizens in the country, finally opened its doors after years of delays. This was the Haven’s first official summer.
